Pericardial Disorders: MedlinePlus [NEW TOPIC PAGE]

Pericardial Disorders: MedlinePlus

Pericarditis in Children

08/24/2016 10:50 AM EDT

Source: UpToDate
Related MedlinePlus Page: Pericardial Disorders

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA  

• Cardiac tamponade
• Electrocardiogram
• Heart MRI
• Pericardial fluid culture
• Pericardial fluid Gram stain
• Pericardiocentesis
• Pericarditis
• Pericarditis - after heart attack
• Pericarditis - constrictive

Related Health Topics

• Heart Attack
• Heart Diseases

National Institutes of Health

The primary NIH organization for research on Pericardial Disorders is the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Disclaimers

MedlinePlus links to health information from the National Institutes of Health and other federal government agencies. MedlinePlus also links to health information from non-government Web sites. See our disclaimer about external links and our quality guidelines.

Summary

The pericardium is a membrane, or sac, that surrounds your heart. It holds the heart in place and helps it work properly. Problems with the pericardium include

• Pericarditis - an inflammation of the sac. It can be from a virus or other infection, a heart attack, heart surgery, other medical conditions, injuries, and certain medicines.
• Pericardial effusion - the buildup of fluid in the sac
• Cardiac tamponade - a serious problem in which buildup of fluid in the sac causes problems with the function of the heart

Symptoms of pericardial problems include chest pain, rapid heartbeat, and difficulty breathing. Fever is a common symptom of acute pericarditis. Your doctor may use a physical exam, imaging tests, and heart tests to make a diagnosis. Treatment depends on the cause.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Start Here

• Pericarditis  (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Symptoms

• What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Pericarditis?  (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Diagnosis and Tests

• How Is Pericarditis Diagnosed?  (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
• Pericardial Fluid Analysis (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
• What Is an Electrocardiogram?  (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
• What Is Cardiac CT?  (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
• What Is Cardiac MRI?  (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Treatments and Therapies

• How Is Pericarditis Treated?  (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Related Issues

• What Causes Pericarditis?  (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Specifics

• Acute Pericarditis (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Chronic Pericarditis (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Dressler's Syndrome (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Pericardial Effusion (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Pericarditis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Pericarditis (Texas Heart Institute)Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Cardiac Tamponade  (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Pericardial Effusion  (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Pericarditis  (National Institutes of Health)

Journal ArticlesReferences and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: An approach to the patient with suspected pericardial disease.
• Article: Safety, Efficacy, and Complications of Pericardiocentesis by Real-Time Echo-Monitored Procedure.
• Article: HIV-1-Related Cardiovascular Disease Is Associated With Chronic Inflammation, Frequent Pericardial...
• Pericardial Disorders -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• American Heart Association 
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute 

Children

• Pericarditis in Children (UpToDate)

Patient Handouts

• Cardiac tamponade Also in Spanish
• Pericardiocentesis Also in Spanish
• Pericarditis Also in Spanish
• Pericarditis - after heart attack Also in Spanish
• Pericarditis - constrictive Also in Spanish